During our unit on India, we have read three Hindu texts: "Sibi," "The Yoga of Knowledge," and "Ramayana." Below are the questions we answered for each selection.LINK FOR LIST OF LITERARY ELEMENTS DEFINITIONSFebruary 27th The story... "Sibi"Tone: What is one prevailing tone in the story? How is this tone developed? One dominant or prevailing tone seen through the hawk is _____________ . Theme: What theme is developed in the story? One central theme developed in the story is …Character: Who are the main characters? How are they alike? How are they different? One way in which the two main characters, ________ and __________, are alike is... One way in which they are different is ...Point of View: What point of view is used? The point of view used is...Situational Irony: Where do we see irony in the story? An example of situational irony is when...Plot: What happens in the exposition? What events occur in the rising action? When does the turning point occur? What happens in the falling action? How is the story resolved? Make a list of each part. List one event that happens in each of the five parts.Conflict: External and Internal: What are the conflicts present in the story? One example of external conflict is ... (include the character and what the problem is he must solve.) One example of internal conflict is... Dialogue: How does the dialogue contribute to or help develop the theme? One example of dialogue that relates to the theme is, "______________ .""The Yoga of Knowledge"For this selection, we completed a "t-chart" which analyzed the logical reasons each main character used to argue his side of an issue. Arjuna had many reasons for not wanting to go out onto the battle field. Sri Krishna also had several solid reasons that he used to convince Arjuna that he should fulfill his duty as a member of the warrior caste and fight in the battle."Ramayana" This is the third Hindu text we have studied. For this text, we again return to the literary elements, as this selection is full of many strong examples. We also will see how like Gilgamesh, Rama is an epic hero.Epic Hero: How is Rama an example of an epic hero? Write one sentence justifying this title. Use evidence and a page number from the story. Remember epic heroes are... 1. significant and glorified 2. on a quest 3. have superior or superhuman strength, intelligence, and/or courage 4. ethical 5. risks death for glory or for the greater good of society (would inc. family) 6. is a strong and responsible leader 7. performs brave deeds and 8. reflects the ideals of a particular societyPersonification: The giving of human qualities to a non-human object, force, or character. Find an example from page 210. Look in the paragraph that begins, "Rama's army cleared..." Write a complete sentence in which you explain what was the effect of using personification to characterize the animals in such a particular way. Hint-- This example of personification, ... , makes the ... seem more ...Protagonist: The protagonist is the central character in a story and who serves as the focus for the story's themes and development, novel, drama, or other literary work. He or she is the character that the reader or audience empathizes with. Who is the protagonist in Ramayana? What is one reason Hindus would have empathized with him? Hint: The protagonist, ... , is someone I would empathize with because...Antagonist: The antagonist opposes the protagonist. In the most archetypical narratives, this boils down to bad guy vs. good guy: Luke Skywalker versus Darth Vadar in the first Star Wars movie, for instance. Who is the antagonist in Ramayana? What is one reason Hindus would have not empathized with him? Hint: The antagonist, ... , is someone I would not empathize with because...Imagery/sensory language: This type of descriptive writing appeals to the five senses: visual, auditory, touch, smell, or taste. On page 209, a battle scene is described with vivid imagery. Focusing on the paragraph that begins, "The beat of war drums..." Write the full sentence that contains several examples of imagery. Include which of the five senses is used for the sensory language.Foreshadowing: A device used in literature to create an expectation for later events or to serve as an explanation of later developments. (Hints that suggest what may happen later or that will later explain a later event) Look at page 210 in the paragraph that begins, "The charioteer... ." Find the sentence that reads, "Many ominous signs were seen now..." In one or two sentences, quote the example of foreshadowing and state what the foreshadowing seems to suggest will happen with the battle's outcome. Hint: This example of foreshadowing, ... , leads the reader to believe... Figurative language: Simile: A comparison, usually using 'like' or 'as,' of two essentially dissimilar things, as in "The salesman sounded like a broken record." On page 211, find and include in a sentence a simile. What was the purpose in describing the flight of the arrows in such a manner? Hint: The simile, ... , makes the point that...Theme:The main lesson, message, or moral communicated by the author through the literature. Aside from the strong theme of "duty," what other message would a reader learn from this Hindu tale? Begin reading on page 215 at "Surrounded by his brother... to the end of the tale on page 216.

The Continent of India

The Mahabharata

This is the wold's longest epic, having been compiled between 200 B.C. and 200 A.D. The myths and tales of this epic are woven into the fabric of its main story, the account of a fight over the rights to a kingdom. Two branches of a family, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, are the families involved. Many of the myths and tales concern the Indian concept of dharma, the unique obligations

The Bhagavad-Gita

The title means "Song of the Lord." It is one of the most important texts in the Hindu tradition. It has been translated more often and into more languages than any other Sanskrit text, and many Hindu religious teachers have written commentaries on it... This ancient Sanskrit book has also played a role in modern politics. During the struggle for his country's independence, the Indian leader, Mohandas Gandi turned to the Gita for inspiration almost daily. This book is a small part in the middle of the Mahabharata.

The Ramayana

Written by the poet, Valmiki, this great Indian epic consists of 24,000 couplets, parts of which date from 300 B.C. It tells the story of Prince Rama and is divided into seven sections or "kandaS." Each focuses on a different section of Rama's life. The purpose of the book is to spread the teaching of the Vedas, the sacred texts of Hinduism. (Perhaps somewhat similar to the stories and parables of Christianity whose purpose it is to teach lessons and spread the word about Christianity.) The main villian in the Ramayana is Ravana, an evil giant with ten heads and twenty arms. Ravana believed himself to be immortal because no god had the power to slay him. This writing chronicles Rama's efforts to fulfill his dharma, his unique duties in life, by killing Ravana and reclaiming the throne. (Source: Prentice Hall Literature: World Masterpieces)

Hindu devotee

A young Nepali Hindu devotee during a traditional prayer ceremony at Kathmandu's Durbar Square. The term Hinduism was formed around 1830 to denote the culture and religion of the high-caste Brahmans in contrast to other religions. It was soon appropriated by the Hindus in India themselves as they tried to establish a national, social and cultural identity opposed to European colonialism in India.[11] (Credit: Wikipedia)